This arrived yesterday, and it was killing me to wait before opening the box! Tuned it up and haven't been able to put it down! Original tuners still hold tune well, a little stiff to turn. No cracks or repairs visible. Gibson A experts - does the tailpiece look original? Came with the original case, latches still work, but I'll be getting something a wee bit more protective as soon as I can. Not sure why the photos all loaded so lopsided and weird!

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JeffD

Jan-07-2016, 9:06pm

I have not seen a tail piece like that, on a Gibson or anything else.

But that aside, wow, that looks like a drool worthy addition to your stable of mandolins. I hope it sounds as great as it looks.

BlueMt.

Jan-07-2016, 9:51pm

Jill, I'm glad you have a mandolin again. I've been gone for a few years, but I always enjoyed your playing. Enjoy!

MikeEdgerton

Jan-07-2016, 9:52pm

The tailpiece is probably original, the cover is probably from another mandolin. Martin used engraved covers as did a few other manufacturers. Gibson's were generally plain until later years when they actually engraved the Gibson logo on them. Gibson used the Waverly cloud tailpiece on some mandolins up into the 50's at least.

Paul Hostetter has a page on his www.lutherie.net that talks about servicing these tuners. The link is at:

http://www.lutherie.net/tuner.maintenance.html

Jill McAuley

Jan-07-2016, 10:01pm

Thanks Mike, I thought it didn't look like an original cover. Thanks for that link about servicing the tuners!

Steve-o

Jan-07-2016, 10:12pm

Jill,

So happy to see you get another mandolin and a lovely vintage one at that. It looks to be in fine shape. Enjoy!

Don Grieser

Jan-08-2016, 12:11am

Congrats, Jill. Looks like a great mando. Lets hear it!

Clement Barrera-Ng

Jan-08-2016, 11:46am

Welcome back Jill!. The Ajr looks great; hopefully we'll get to see/hear it on your Youtube channel soon :)

I'm also inclined to say that the tailpiece *cover* is probably not original. The original one was plain to my knowledge; I've seen quite a few with a cross patterns engraved on it like this one:

I'm going to try to record a few clips today - I'll have the house to meself for a few hours so will take advantage of that! That one in the classifieds looks nice!

Charles E.

Jan-08-2016, 8:09pm

Jill, nice to see you posting again and about a new (old) snake head at that! I am looking forward to hearing that wee beastie shred some reels. :)

Jill McAuley

Jan-08-2016, 10:03pm

Working on a few reels as we speak!

Tim Griffin

Jan-09-2016, 9:43am

FWIW the photos look fine when going to your album. nice.

Randi Gormley

Jan-22-2016, 11:00am

Just noticed this thread -- what a lovely instrument! congrats! snakeheads are incredible.

Oddly enough, I was thinking about you -- it was my turn to introduce a new tune to our beginner session and I chose Trumpet hornpipe (Capt. Pugwash) and one of the links that a friend posted to let the others hear it was yours from the song-a-week group. Small world!

Jill McAuley

Jan-23-2016, 1:47pm

Small world indeed! A similar thing happened to a trad playing friend of mine in Paris - someone sent her a link for a tune to learn and it was one of my old videos!

I'm leaving the Ajr with my luthier for a set up this week, so getting as much playing time in before that to offset the withdrawal!

Loretta Callahan

Feb-05-2016, 6:14pm

Ohh ... what a beauty! So happy for you. I have a 1923 Ajr Paddlehead Gibson mandolin. She was reincarnated in 1976 by Ken Ratcliff of Silverangel Mandolins. http://silverangelmandolins.com/SM/

She also has a similar tailpiece to yours. I understand why you haven't put yours down. I just love mine. Been playing it happily for close to three years now.

mrmando

Feb-05-2016, 6:21pm

Do you have the FON for this instrument?

1927 is a conceivable ship date for a snakehead; not so sure about the build date.

MikeEdgerton

Feb-06-2016, 8:12am

...She also has a similar tailpiece to yours...

That is a Waverly Cloud tailpiece, used by Gibson on some models but also used by Martin, Kay, Harmony, and just about everybody else over the years. They were manufactured for decades and were standard on the Gibson A Jr. mandolins.

Jill McAuley

Feb-06-2016, 2:36pm

Do you have the FON for this instrument?

1927 is a conceivable ship date for a snakehead; not so sure about the build date.

Yes, the FON is 8726, Serial # is 82231

MikeEdgerton

Feb-06-2016, 3:53pm

FON 8726 = A Jr - 1927 according to Spann.

paul dirac

Aug-06-2018, 7:59am

Two questions for the cognoscenti:

1.) Anybody with a copy of Spann's can verify me the birthdate of my '27 A-jr?: SN#82726 FON# 8833

2.) I'm trying to verify that this bridge is non-original.
170048
Everything I've seen/read says it's not, but I ran across this one (http://www.mandolinarchive.com/gibson/serial/84032), and this one (https://reverb.com/item/1127373-gibson-lloyd-loar-era-snakehead-a-jr-mandolin), and just wanted to make sure.

Thanks for any insights/ opinions!

MarkELynch

Aug-06-2018, 9:20am

Joe Spann’s research places production in late 1927 assuming that the FON’s were issued sequentially. The exact birthday is unknown. The serial number table places the sale in 1928. According to Joe Spann it would have been pulled from finished goods and received strings and a bridge just before it shipped. The standard bridge for the A-Jr is a one-piece fixed type. Since the adjustable bridge was available by 1928 it would have been possible to have left Gibson with the pictured bridge as original equipment. Is there a patent stamp on the side of the bridge base? Adjustable bridges could be purchased separately so it could have been changed at any point in the last ninety years.

Mark

fatt-dad

Aug-06-2018, 9:53am

Knowing how well you play (SOW club), that mandolin will have a good life!

Big fan of oval-hole Gibsons too!

Congratulations.

f-d

Hendrik Ahrend

Aug-16-2018, 3:44pm

Two questions for the cognoscenti:

1.) Anybody with a copy of Spann's can verify me the birthdate of my '27 A-jr?: SN#82726 FON# 8833

2.) I'm trying to verify that this bridge is non-original.
170048
Everything I've seen/read says it's not, but I ran across this one (http://www.mandolinarchive.com/gibson/serial/84032), and this one (https://reverb.com/item/1127373-gibson-lloyd-loar-era-snakehead-a-jr-mandolin), and just wanted to make sure.

Thanks for any insights/ opinions!

My two cents: That bridge top is on backwards, and it lacks the indigo stain (as far as I can see). The base seems to be on correctly with the treble side shoulder having a slightly smaller radius, as on many original bridges. The patent stamp should be on the front then; is it?
If the original equipment was a one-pice bridge, there should be the typical (smaller) imprint visible on the top under the bridge base.

paul dirac

Sep-05-2018, 11:39pm

My two cents: That bridge top is on backwards, and it lacks the indigo stain (as far as I can see). The base seems to be on correctly with the treble side shoulder having a slightly smaller radius, as on many original bridges. The patent stamp should be on the front then; is it?
If the original equipment was a one-pice bridge, there should be the typical (smaller) imprint visible on the top under the bridge base.

Haha, thank you, Henry! Backwards might explain the awful sounds coming out of such a beautiful instrument, but I have a feeling it's my playing... But seriously, thanks, and I'll switch it around and check the patent stamp and imprint. Can you expound on the indigo stain?